Reviews by bee-york

Very lopsided album in terms of the fluff and bangers. I like Bowie but this feels like another instance where the authors choice to put nearly 10 of his albums on here is more of a hindrance than a highlight.

>get this album over the weekend
>decide to listen on Monday morning
>Mr Costello wishes me a welcome to the working week
What a polite man, I wish I was a little more into this one as it starts off pretty strong. Unfortunately this front loading fades away and it becomes pretty standard and familiar ground with other Costello albums I've listened to. Not sure if this one really is as good as I'm saying or if regular exposure is starting to make me actually like this guy

Kinda fun for the novelty of hearing such an early 2000's sound but I did get pretty tired of it quickly enough. This was mostly boring in the sense of how repetitive it was, which marks it above other albums on this list which I would label as repetitive AND boring

Pretty good stuff, I felt it got a bit too samey in the first half in spite of some of the more fun tracks that came towards the latter end of the album. I can’t really speak to the lyricism or anything given the language barrier so definitely more of a vibes thing for me. Not bad just wish it was a little more varied throughout

Maybe one of the most middle of the road albums I have heard on this list. I’m fairly convinced that ‘Rock Steady’ was not just a song on this album but rather a mantra for the group. They’re here to play serviceable music and not rattle any cages while doing so.

This one was really missing any kind of sauce to either help or hinder its chances at ranking elsewhere, which almost makes me want to duck its score for unoriginality. Though I think I would find much worse company among some of the music I have scored down there anyway.

More like Fat and out of Health

The only thing more frustrating than an album not being available for streaming? Having it only be very partially available for streaming. Checking the Spotify album for this and seeing only 3 tracks (one of which being an instrumental) despite an alleged 1hr+ runtime is always fun!

I can't let this affect my enjoyment of the album itself though (other than wishing more of this was available on spotify). Another great groovy pick for this list with some magically psychadelic rock riffs (and not in the boring way that a lot of beatles wannabes acted in the 60s).
We need to return to a time where the peak of lyrical witticism was having some whimsically danceable beat playing with one of the singers saying some goofy shit like 'You are receiving an international call from; THE FUNK, do you wish to accept the charges?'

Hard to write too much about this one, a very enjoyable listen that just felt like a little more commercial and going through the motions than Nothing's Shocking.

Certainly not an album I want to have the title of showing up on my work computer so I'll keep it short and sweet.

An album coming from the more dark and brooding end of the groups catalog, while it may not pack as many memorable hits as albums like Disintegration it is a very tonally strong and consistent set of tracks. Not their best works individually but great as a whole album package.

I wasn't aware of these guys from their name initially and I felt quite foolish realizing who they were as I listened. Sure this may not be the most original act out there but who gives a crap when you can riff that well on the guitar. The funky edge to a lot of this really gels with me too, combine that with a really stellar live recording and you have an easy hit for me.

Similar output to their previous album which I liked but didn't love. Unfortunately had some audio trouble with the copies I tried listening to which may have also affected my experience

A lot better than something with this much mention of rape/molestation has any right to be. Really kicks into gear for the last two thirds (from the title track onward) and closing out brilliantly with Hallowed be thy name. Bruce Dickinson has a stronger energy in his vocal performance than Paul Di'Anno (RIP) had and is better suited to this direction the band took from their first album

My expectations were definitely played with going into this. From initially seeing a fairly low global rating, to being taken back and enjoying the 11 minute opening track, to back to being a bit disappointed that a remainder of the album did not maintain this same energy. If the change in direction on the tracks following Krautrock is what people were upset by back in the day, I can understand. It does find shades of that opener on side B but not enough to entirely win me back.

A little dry and samey in the vocals but really propped up by some diverse and fantastic instrumentals. A definite surprise among this list

Between getting this in my daily review rotation and listening to Rappers delight the other day, I’m starting to think these Chic guys are following me from track to track like a vengeful spirit. Given I gave them a fairly mediocre score last time I heard them.
Perhaps I treated them too harshly, the instrumentals on this album were awesome and definitely saves this album from feeling like it is occasionally going through the motions

Finally had the pleasure to listen to the poser t-shirt album art band! And what a pleasure it was, definitely a lot more on the slower and moodier side. I do feel like I am not seeing some of what others are here though, This felt pretty par for the course when it comes to british crywank material in terms of lyricism. Even the instrumental tone is not as overbearing as some have described, the slower tempo lends to a more understated feel. Perhaps listening to too much NIN where the angst funneled through industrial noise can feel like an angle grinder against your ear.

Incredibly consistent album that felt like it was just getting better the further I went. Being short too was a boon, very easy to listen to once again.

More Bob Dylan, this time I finally tapped out momentarily to his Harmonica, that shit mixed with a bad headache is a recipe for disaster.

I think I’ve listened to enough of Dylan at this point to say he just isn’t for me, I’m not going to argue about the quality of his music or writing, just that it isn’t really what I care to throw on my playlists. Probably my 3rd favourite on this list of his, falling behind Highway 63 and Blood on the Tracks

If I had a nickel for every British album I got with only 1 hit in it this week, I'd have two nickels.
At least this one was a bit more up my alley with the new wave edge to it rather than the irritating perverted Indian exoticism of Cornerslop

Whoops forgot to post my review (and seemingly lost what I had written, not that it was war and peace or anything).
A charming little honky tonk album that maintains a very similar pace throughout its runtime. Wasn't offended by anything I heard in fact the vocalist was really great. I just don't think anything stood out to me as particularly memorable.

54 Minutes of this.
You truly have to admire the cultural exchange at play here, as the exotic instrumentation of the Tamboura plucking away from India attempts to breath life into the musical equivalent of stale bread that is Britpop. Another painfully boring album really exacerbated by its runtime. Would have been a lot funnier if this was just a bunch of white dudes who got really into India